Tourists and local residents filled all the available squares during the Active Tourism and Ecotourism Festival in Gran Canaria, an event that stood out for its wide intergenerational participation and the attendance of people from different nationalities.
Over 300 people participated in the Gran Canaria Adventure Weekend 2024, an event organized by Activa Canarias in collaboration with Turismo de Gran Canaria and with the support of the Social and Health Care Institute of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria. This inclusive festival offered activities for audiences of all ages and levels, demonstrating the multiple possibilities that Gran Canaria offers in terms of active and sustainable tourism.
Participants from countries such as Italy, Germany, Greece, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, and Argentina, as well as locals, enjoyed a wide range of activities. These included stargazing, trekking, adventure sports, paragliding, via ferratas, interpreted hiking, orienteering, cycling, snorkeling, kayaking, wine tourism, and ethnography.
A highlight of the event was its inclusive and intergenerational nature, offering an accessible and diverse range of activities. This allowed the participation of children, adults, seniors, and people with different physical or sensory abilities, establishing itself as an inclusive festival open to all types of audiences.
José Luis Echevarría, president of Activa Canarias, gave a positive assessment of the festival, highlighting its international impact and the success of the promotional campaign, which sold out the available spaces in less than two weeks. Echevarría also emphasized the attractiveness of the offering, which encourages longer stays on the island — with stays of more than ten days — and an average nightly expenditure 15% higher than that of the traditional sun and beach tourist.
The president of Activa Canarias described the Gran Canaria Adventure Weekend as a decisive step towards a new tourism model in the Canary Islands, and particularly in Gran Canaria. He also noted that the event aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, promoting sustainable economic development and environmental protection.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish